Hi, I’m Francis,
the host of this show "Cooking with Dog."
First, run your fingertips over the sea bream
to make sure there aren’t any bones left.
Cut the fillet into about 3cm (1.2”) pieces.
Combine the sea bream and the pacific cod,
which has also been cut into small pieces.
Quickly rinse the fish in a bowl of ice water.
This will help to reduce the fat and fishy smell.
Strain it with a mesh strainer.
Then, distribute the fish pieces onto a tray
covered with a paper towel.
Cover it with another paper towel
and remove the moisture thoroughly.
Wrap the fish with plastic wrap
and store it in the freezer until partially frozen.
Next, let’s make the surimi, ground fish meat.
Place the partially frozen pacific cod
and sea bream in the food processor.
Add the salt,
frozen egg white,
sugar,
potato starch
and 3 ice cubes.
Cover
and pulse several times.
Then, process the mixture
for about 20 seconds until smooth.
Using a spatula, wipe the sides of the bowl
to gather the surimi in the middle again.
Repeat the process 2 to 3 times
to give the surimi a smooth texture.
Finally, add the sake to adjust the consistency.
If the surimi is too firm or too soft,
it will be difficult to roll the chikuwa around a stick.
If you can’t use any alcohol, add water instead.
Now, the surimi is ready.
And now, let’s shape the chikuwa.
Place one third of the surimi on a flat surface.
Shape it into a rectangle.
This chikuwa is relatively thick
and it’ll be about 10cm (3.9") long.
Make sure that the surimi has an even thickness.
Place a round bamboo stick along the edge.
Using a spatula, scrape off the surimi
from the surface and roll it around the bamboo.
Keep the spatula clean and occasionally
wet it to make the chikuwa presentable.
The color and texture of the chikuwa
depends on the type of fish meat.
You can also use other types of white fish,
for example Alaska pollack, shark, flying fish,
hokke or ishimochi.
The surimi will easily warm up in a food processor
so we recommend partially freezing the fish
and using the frozen egg white to keep it fresh.
Finally, wet your fingertips
and adjust the shape of the chikuwa.
We’ve also made 2 pieces of long chikuwa as shown.
Let’s grill the chikuwa.
Place the chikuwa over the heat
and allow the fish meat to cook slowly.
Rotate the bamboo a little at a time to brown evenly.
As it is cooked, the color turns kind of white.
When the surface begins to puff up,
poke it with a bamboo stick to remove the air inside.
Keep rotating the bamboo for about 20 minutes,
making sure the inside is cooked.
Now, the chikuwa is deliciously browned.
When slightly cooled,
the chikuwa will have its signature wrinkles.
Now, let’s place the fillings in the chikuwa.
This chikuwa is about 16cm (6.3") long.
Cut it in half.
And place the cucumber stick inside the hole.
Trim off both ends.
And halve the chikuwa using a diagonal cut.
As before, insert the cheese
and the carrot inside each chikuwa.
And cut them in half.
These chikuwa look like a traffic signal, don’t they?
Make sure to use a food processor
that can crush the ice cubes.
Furthermore, let the ice sit at room temperature
to help it crush easily.
You can use the chikuwa as a bento ingredient
or enjoy it as a snack while drinking.
Good luck in the kitchen!